Literary Agent Interview: Amy Thrall Flynn Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Amy Thrall Flynn here. She’s a senior agent at Aevitas Creative Management.

Hi Amy! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Amy:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

Hi!  I am happy to be here!  I’ve been an agent for six years, and this is a short history of my path to agenting.  

After graduating from college (major in American Literature, minor in Spanish), I spent a year as a sixth grade English teacher.  Then I moved to Boston to follow my passionate interest in helping to create children’s books.  The books that I loved as a young reader had a profound impact on me, as did my experience sharing literature with students.

I joined the editorial team at Houghton Mifflin Books for Children in 1991—a dream job—at first assisting the department head and then as an acquiring editor.  Houghton Mifflin was the esteemed publisher of classics including the Curious George books by Margret and H.A. Rey, Virginia Lee Burton’s The Little House and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, the astonishing nonfiction work of David Macaulay, Lois Lowry’s award-winning novels, Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express, and many more . . .

During my 12 years with Houghton, I had the opportunity to train under incredible mentors and to guide dozens of new books to publication (board books and picture books, nonfiction for all ages, novels for MG and YA readers), working directly with writers and the in-house publishing team.  I also continued to study and earned an MA in English.  

Later, when our two children were young, I did freelance editorial work and taught reading in a first-grade classroom.  I also completed an MA in Children’s Literature from Simmons College: a phenomenal program that includes classes held at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.  

In 2019 I joined Rubin Pfeffer at his Boston-based literary agency, representing writers and illustrators of children’s books.  In 2024 Rubin Pfeffer Content aligned with Aevitas Creative Management where I’m happily continuing my work with wonderful creators.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

Aevitas Creative Management is a full-service literary agency, home to forty+ agents in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Detroit, Nashville, London, and Barcelona, representing scores of award-winning authors, performers, thinkers, artists, and public figures.  Aevitas has dedicated departments for foreign and media rights as well as deep expertise in negotiations and contracts.  

The ACM Kids and Illustration cohort includes more than a dozen seasoned agents working exclusively in the children’s book space.  Our collaborative team is supported by a robust social media and website presence that increases visibility for the artists and writers we represent.

As an agent I offer editorial, strategic, and business support to clients, guiding their creative work, preparing submissions, and representing their bests interests with publishing houses.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I represent work for children in all categories and ages: from board books through YA.  In fiction, I look for authentic characters, characters who struggle and grow.  I have a particular interest in young picture books that speak directly to the lives of children, nonfiction concepts that potentially overlap with school subject areas including STEAM studies, and compelling, beautifully written fiction for young readers up to age 16.  

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

Innovative structure, approach, and/or voice in all areas.  Propulsive storytelling with clear stakes.  Diverse experiences and viewpoints.  Authentic and vulnerable characters who make mistakes and grow.  Exploration of emotions of all sorts including humor, triumph, and joy as well as challenge, conflict, and grief.  Strong visual potential.  Surprise, insight, and connection.  

Above all, I am passionate about books that support young people in learning about themselves and making sense of the world.  

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

At this time I am not interested in YA science fiction or fantasy.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

I am eager to fall in love with new projects.  My first review of a new submission is a blind read, to see if I feel a strong pull to the writing/subject.  This is very subjective.  Does the manuscript feel fresh and surprising? Do I want to read it again?  

If yes, I go on to evaluate the submission more critically.  Have similar stories been told before (what are the comps)?  Does this piece do something different and special (what would make a reader choose this book over others on the shelves)?  Does the creator have a strong purpose and point of view?  Does the material speak to an audience of children?

Sometimes I’ll ask a colleague for a second read.  And typically there’s a process of further discovery with the creator (emails and video or phone calls).  What are their long- and short-term goals and expectations?  Are they professional and diligent in their working style, with an openness to feedback and other potential projects in development?  Am I the right partner to help their vision come to life?

Truthfully, agents see many manuscripts that are well written and appealing.  But each agent can only serve a finite number of clients.  Ideally both agent and client feel that next level of personal excitement and commitment to working together.  

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Yes, I love to collaborate on manuscript revisions while still leaving room for an editor to enter the project.  This can mean a couple of back-and forth rounds before submission: exploring both big-picture questions and line-level adjustments.  I also enjoy crafting cover letters and fine-tuning these with clients.

An agent is a partner on the road to publication, a bridge or link between writers/illustrators and publishers.  Agents support the creative aspirations of clients, act as a sounding board for questions of all kinds, help to shape submissions and pitches, and work to find the right publishers based on their knowledge of the market.  It’s a collaborative relationship that requires perseverance, flexible thinking, and trust.  

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

Please submit via Query Tracker: https://QueryTracker.net/query/3360

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

I don’t have any specific dislikes.  I tend to skim cover letters and go right to the sample pages or manuscript.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

I try to respond within 6-8 weeks.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Yes, with the same rigorous process of review.

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Please see the ACM Kids and Illustration website 😊

Interviews and Guest Posts:

13. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

N/a

Links and Contact Info:

14. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

Query Tracker works well—thank you.

Additional Advice:

15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Read lots of books in the area that you are writing in.  Read books out loud and to children.  Study what you think works or doesn’t work and why . . .  Which books do you love?  Join a critique group to build a supportive community and to learn more about both the writing craft and the industry.  Think about how to give and receive constructive criticism and to foster an open and curious mindset.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Amy.   

 

Giveaway Details

Amy is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through April  5th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you follow me on Twitter or mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or email me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

Tuesday, April 1st I’m participating in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, April 2nd I have an interview with debut author Lucia Damisa and a giveaway of her YA A Desert of Bleeding Sand and my IWSG post

Monday, April 7th I have an agent spotlight interview with Etsy Loveing-Downes and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 14th I have an interview with author Mia Araujo and a giveaway of her MG Afia In the Land of Wonders

Wednesday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrop in Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 21st I have an agent spotlight interview with Carey Blankenship-Kramer and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Eskildsen  and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 28th I have an interview with debut author Alby Williams and a giveaway of their MG Where There Be Monsters

I hope to see you on Wednesday!